This invention relates to logging equipment and, more specifically, to devices used to strip branches off harvested or felled trees.
Historically, delimbing felled or harvested trees was performed manually using axes, hand saws and powered chain saws. This method of delimbing works well on large trees with sporadic branches because the weight of a felled tree trunk will snap many of the branches off the trunk leaving a minimal amount of delimbing to be performed. When smaller trees with many branches are felled, the trunk weight is often insufficient to cause the branches to snap off. Consequently, the hand delimbing process was dangerous and unpredictable, as well as time consuming.
As a result, delimbers have been developed which strip branches off a whole tree at the harvesting site, thereby eliminating the need for manual delimbing and drastically reducing the time necessary for delimbing. Thus, the need for delimbing machines has grown over the years as modern forestry practice has relied on clear cutting and forest thinning through the removal of smaller trees.
A popular type of delimber is a pull through delimber. The majority of pull through delimbers allow for a tree to be placed in the delimbing device with delimbing blades surrounding and parallel to the tree trunk. The tree is then pulled through the device with the blades cutting the branches as it traverses the assembly. The majority of these types of machines contain hydraulics or electronics causing them to be very expensive to purchase and operate. As a result of the high purchase and operating costs, many logging operations cannot afford to purchase such delimbers. Another disadvantage of these types of delimbers is that they only delimb one tree at a time. Additionally, most of these delimbing assemblies are very complicated with many moveable parts that are susceptible to damage and breakdown.
A second type of delimbing device is the mechanical pull through type delimber. U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,997, to Davison, describes a mechanical pull through delimbing device that does not use any electronic or hydraulic components. Instead, the Davison device uses the weight of a tree to actuate the delimbing blades. In Davison, a tree is placed onto the assembly so that the weight of the tree rests on a lever causing a set of delimbing blades to close about the trunk. The trunk is then pulled through the delimbing assembly causing the branches to be stripped off the trunk.
The Davison device eliminates the use of hydraulics and electronics; however, the assembly uses many moving parts that are susceptible to breakdown and jamming. Furthermore, the Davison delimber only allows for one tree to be placed into the assembly at a time resulting in a slow and tedious process in delimbing trees in a logging operation. An additional drawback associated with the Davison device is that it relies on the weight of the tree to close the blades. This method of operation is troublesome for small trees whose weight is insufficient to properly close the blades around the trunk. Davison also uses a spring to exert an opposite force on the support lever, and the spring is susceptible to stretching and breaking.
In general, most mechanical delimbing devices are cost prohibitive for soft wood logging operations because of the capital investment and maintenance requirements of complicated delimbing apparatuses. In addition, many delimbers in the market are cumbersome to transport from one site to another and require setup and breakdown time. Thus, what is needed is a delimbing device that delimbs multiple trees, is easily transportable, has few movable parts, and is affordable.
This invention is a stationary assembly used to strip limbs from trees. The delimbing assembly is mounted on a base trailer. The base has an axle and wheels on one end and a hitch on the other allowing for easy transportation from one harvesting site to another. The assembly allows multiple trees to be processed simultaneously. The blade assembly includes a plurality of criss-crossing straight blades forming a plurality of apertures. A knuckle boom loader, for example, pushes multiple trees through the delimber. To increase the efficiency of the delimber, a trough structure directs the trees into the blade assembly. As trees are pushed through the blade lattice, each trunk moves through an open aperture allowing the limbs to come into contact with a blade edge; thereby stripping the limbs from the trunk. A saw box is coupled to the assembly for topping the trees.
In another embodiment, the delimbing assembly includes a plurality of arms, having delimbing blades, for containing and delimbing at least one tree. The arms are mounted to a carriage and are controlled individually with hydraulic actuators. Each arm can include a delimbing blade. Further, the delimbing assembly can include an arcuate delimbing blade mounted to the carriage. In operation, this embodiment of the delimbing assembly accepts trees within the arms. The arms close around the trees and the loader pulls the trees partially through the arms, cutting off some, if not all, of the limbs. A delimbing saw then tops the tree, and the tree is removed from the assembly after the arms are opened to allow for removal of the trees. If the trees require further delimbing, the trees are inserted into the blade assembly described above.
Primary objectives of this invention are to provide:
the logging industry with a push through delimbing device that is durable, easier to use, less susceptible to jamming and less expensive to operate;
a push through delimbing device that can delimb multiple trees simultaneously;
a push through delimbing device that operates without the aide of any hydraulic, mechanical or electronic control; and
a push through delimbing assembly for use in delimbing soft wood or hard wood trees, which is affordable throughout the logging industry.
Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from consideration of the following description and drawings.